The Othello Project

The Othello Project written in red handwriting with a Shake on the Lake logo that says Shake on top of a half circle with the S like a serpent and in the half circle it says "on the lake"
The Othello Project
December 4 and 5, 2020 at 7:00 p.m.
Zoom performance
Directed by Sifiso Mabena and Kenzi James

What does it mean to perform Othello in 2020? Shakespeare’s tragedy, Othello, The Moor of Venice, is wracked with controversy. From the derogatory term, “moor,” to the racist language and ideas throughout the play, to the fact that a white playwright wrote the play for white actor to play a black character (often in blackface), the play is difficult to come to terms with, and even more so in light of the calls for racial justice in 2020. 

Shake on the Lake’s ensemble, directed by Sifiso Mabena and Kenzi James, attempts to answer this question by creating a devised online performance in response to the themes, language, and characters from the play, in conversation with our current cultural moment.


A panel discussion with the artists will follow the performance to talk about the process of creating THE OTHELLO PROJECT.

For tickets, click here.  
Tickets range from $0 to $15, to pay what you can.  

Keep in touch on our Facebook Event.

Download Program
Skip to content